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PAULD123, I would'nt get too carried away with positions. Kevin Cassidy's recent column in Gaelic life gives a good summary of how positions have changed in recent years.

An obvious thing which I'm happy about is that McCorry seems to be trying out lots of players in lots of positions. At least he's not afraid to have a look at his options. Hopefully he will know get all his experimenting done and dusted and learn from it in time for the championship.

As for Marty Clarke that was a great interview. It looks like its going to be a long road back for him to wear the red and black. I wish him well, he's such a talent and having a fit and well Marty Clarke would obviously increase our chances of success greatly.

Below is the Kevin Cassidy piece by the way:


  THERE has been a lot of talk and discussion recently about the current state of our game. Players, ex players and pundits have all had their say and the general consensus is that our game is in decline.

Some players have refuted the fact that our game has taken a step backwards recently but in reality it probably has. Players feel that the game was at its best when they played it themselves.

I remember times when I was playing for Donegal and ex players, turned pundits, might have made a comment and you would say to yourself "what does he know sure the game has moved on so much since he played".

True but we all see the game through our rose-tinted glasses!!

The fact is that the game continues to evolve. I am only out of it a few years and I would say that there have been significant changes in relation to training methods since I last donned the Green and Gold.

That's the nature of our sport like it or lump it. GAA teams have now adopted a win-at-all-cost mentality. Forget about if we're making it attractive, forget about what kind of game we are leaving behind for the next generation, forget about the long-term health of our players. It's now all about win percentages at the end of the season.

Last weekend we had two fantastic Club semi-finals with Gaels taking to social media to boast about the quality on show.

Current players used it as an example to counter the arguments of pundits who spoke about the standard of play in recent weeks.

My advice to those players would be to look closely at those four teams involved, study the coaches and philosophies of each team and you will quickly realise that they are a dying breed in our sport.

Mickey Moran wouldn't entertain negative defensive football nor would starlets like Diarmuid Connolly or Micheal Lundy play it.

Whether we like it or not, our game has changed. The criteria for selecting an inter county player has changed so much over the past decade.

I am currently on a family holiday and while walking home last Sunday I bumped into Down and Warrenpoint legend and All-Ireland winner Peter Rooney.

We stopped for a while and while shooting the breeze along the promenade (it amazes me as to how quickly you can become comfortable around someone with similar interests, especially GAA) when the conversation swung towards how the game is played nowadays. We both agreed on one thing, that our game has become hard to watch.

Peter said that "managers are now looking for greyhounds not footballers". I couldn't have agreed more.

We parted by saying that hopefully In the next few years managers and coaches will return to something that resembles the game we both love.

After I left Peter my mind began to wander and I tried to put myself in the shoes of an inter-county manager and tried to envisage what type of players he would be looking for in this day in age.

Goalkeeper

Mobile, quick and accurate with short kickouts and who can convert 45s

Full back line

Strong, fast and extremely fit. No need to be a seriously tight marker as they will be protected by the 10 bodies in front of them. Must be able to run the length of the field to create the over lap for the running game.

Half Back line

As they now generally have no one to mark as the oppositions 10 and 12 now retreat they have become the play makers of the modern game. Half backs now see more ball than any other player on the pitch. They need to be able to pick a pass and kick scores.

Midfield

No need for high fetchers as opposition will just bypass midfield with short kick outs. Must be big strong and extremely athletic. Need to be able to go from their own 20 yard line to the oppositions 20 for 70 minutes attacking and defending.

Half Forward line

You are looking for a players who can run all day and is about 12 stone in weight. Unselfish players who do not want to shine or to score but are happy covering in front of the full back line hoovering up loose ball.

Full forward line

First and foremost they must be ferocious tacklers and have a phenomenal work-rate. They must be willing to leave behind what makes forwards so special in that they play off they cuff, they must now be willing to play the percentages and to stick to the plan even though it may go against every natural instinct they have.

So there you have it to make it nowadays in any of those positions that is what most managers are looking for. I wonder would legends such as Maurice Fitzgerald, The Bomber Liston and Trevor Giles even make the bench nowadays, probably not. That alone is enough to back up Peter's argument that we are now looking for greyhounds not footballers!!

Twitter KCASS7



- See more at: http://gaeliclife.com/2015/02/kevin-cassidy-a-game-for-greyhounds/#sthash.NIUtf00o.dpuf

To be honest, Saturday night was the type of performance I was expecting going into this league. I'm not being negative but the new management will need time to see what their best team, game plan etc is. We have a small squad and our best footballers in club football by and large (excuse the pun) are hardly giants. There's no point in mentioning players who aren't committing now for whatever reason, the league has started and the preparations for Derry in the championship have started now. There will of course be one or two who will return but don't be holding your breath.

Back to Saturday, the early departures of Mooney and McKernan were significant. They are two of our most powerful runners and had they stayed on the game would have taken a different slant, of that I have no doubt. Also when Mooney came off Lavery went into half forward in his place and for me its a total waste. Even in the first 10 mins Lavery looked dangerous in around the full forward line and when he comes out around the middle not nearly as effective. For me he's one of the very best corner forwards in Ulster yet we don't see him in there nearly enough. As people said, Kane looks a good addition and the influence of Fitzpatrick as the game wore on is another positive. Another note in regards to our lack of size, height etc is Peter Turley. In the last couple of years he has been more than decent and has given us a bit of strength around the middle. I remember thinking in 2013 against Donegal in Breffni (when he was immense) that we had at last found a natural Number 6.  Anyway this very much is a transition period and if you can't experiment against Roscommon at home in February, when can you? I hope the management do give everyone who is committed to them a chance and come June they will know their best 15 and game plan because as long as we beat Derry in June nobody will give a toss about Saturday nights result.

1. M Cunningham
2. D O'Hagan
3. L Howard
4. G Collins
5. C Garvey
6. B McArdle
7. R Johnston
8. P Turley
9. N Madine   
10. M Poland
11. P Devlin
12. K McKernan
13. C Laverty
14. D O'Hare
15. C Maginn


Pick of the subs to come in: J Johnston, C Mooney, D Turley, P Fitzpatrick, A Carr, R Mallon

I imagine that team will be something similar. Plenty of experience with G Collins impressing in the 2 McKenna cup games being the only new face. Plenty of experience with the half back line and midfield along with McKernan sweeping, giving us a decent physical presence.

Some absolute boll0cks being talked on here.

It is an exciting time for our county given the appointment of a new manager who was always the standout candidate. We all hope he brings a few more of those tenacious Kilcoo men in but no doubt he will also be looking at new players from other clubs who have performed well against his Kilcoo side in the past couple of seasons and also a few from the lower divisions. But for people to question the ability or inclusion of Mark Poland is ridiculous. Since Clarke went back to Oz Poland has been our playmaker, and the man other teams have feared in our forward line. This has been evident in the last two years when other teams have simply man marked him and singled him out for extra attention much in the same way Benny was treated by the opposition 6 or 7 years ago. If Marty Clarke does commit you will probably get to see Poland getting less attention and showing his ability.

As for people questioning the likes of Carr, Dan McCartan, Dan Gordan, McKernan, Garvey , Benny McArdle it is crazy. These men have been coached, conditioned and are at the peak of their powers in terms of the experience they have playing at county level and this will be invaluable. A blend of youth and experience is very much an advantage for any senior manager and we are lucky that at present we have that.

It's being reported today that McEntee and O'Neill have pulled out of the running for the managers job. I was excited at reports claiming that they would indeed be announced a couple of weeks back but at the same time a wee bit concerned about such media reports coming out without any updates from the county board.

I know there will always be media speculation about these things but I just hope we get the right man in there without a circus coming first. If we look at what happened in Antrim last week, a repeat of that is not what Down football and a new manager needs.

Very dissapointing yesterday lads. When the draw was made i felt it was the perfect tie in that it would tell us where we were at. Theres no point in playing 4th division teams all the way to Croke Pk only for the likes of Dublin, Mayo or Cork to show us the gulf in class.  Wee James has been brilliant for us, he took Down Football from a bad place right up to the top table contesting major finals only to just fall short of a trophy. However looking in it seems that the boys just aren'nt playing for him. Its hard to know exactly where the problem lies but right now Down football is struggling. The underage teams of the past few years have been dismal whilst the best club side in the county produce only one regular starter.

Its heartbraking that most of the very best underage players from the best underage sides from the past 15 or so years have been largely unavailable. There will be retirements no doubt but I'd hope that Benny and Gordon particularly stay on. Forget his age Benny is one of the top 5 players in Down club football and also arguably our best performer this summer in whatever role he was asked to play. With big Dan, hes the best midfielder in the county by far and still is'nt 30 yet and having missed a couple of years with injury probably does'nt have as many miles on the clock as we'd think.

For now all we can say is thanks to the mangement and players who have put the work in this year and hopefully we can somehow improve and give division 2 a rattle next year rgardless of whoevers in charge or selected to play.

You would imagine so Ardtole. Big Dan has done well on the likes of Michael Murphy and Star Donaghy in there to name a few however if Dan was to play well in the middle you would hope the supply going into the Kildare Full forward line would be limited. Bit of a dilemma for James but at least there is a choice.

I would like to see:

Cunningham
D McCartan
McArdle
O'Hagan
Garvey
Turley
R Johnston
McKernan
Gordon
Coulter
Maginn
Poland
O'Hare
J Johnston
Laverty

Man from Down, any reason for not starting Kevin McKernan and Niall Madine in your team ?

Your quite right Mourne Rover, how could I forget about McKernan?? Hands up, I completely forgot about him. He would definitely be in, pobably for Maginn or Turley. As for Madine, I simply put Ambrose in there instead but Madine still has a big future ahead of him. Rooney is another I did'nt include, going for Johnston and O'Hagan instead.

Its just as well I'm not in management.

Anyway, this is a non topic right now. Wee James is clearly the best man for the job, he has steadied the ship and although we demand silverware we have to realise that with the players we have lost in the last few years its gonna be hard to get to the next level. Its easy after a defeat to discuss the future of a manager but fickle as we are, after a couple of decent wins in the qualifiers (fingers crossed) we can look forward to another push for Division one promotion next year and onwards and upwards.

For now though its the qualifiers and who knows...

Well if its about not paying anyone then that rules out all the Armagh candidates.

I presume they are injured?

That was last year, sure Cavan beat Armagh handy enough last year. Maybe that will give Monaghan something to aim for?

Lets just hope that Longford beating Derry last weekend has'nt set a precedent. Down never make it easy for themselves against lesser opposition in the qualifiers.

Its hard to know which Down team will turn up on Sunday, I'm still scratching my head with the events and outcome of the two Tyrone games.

For my money I would like to see:

1.   McVeigh
2.   Dan McCartan
3.   Benny McArdle
4.   Darren O'Hagan
5.   Ryan Johnston
6.   Aidan Carr
7.   Conor Garvey
8.   Dan Gordan
9.   Peter Turley
10. Ambrose Rogers
11. Mark Poland
12. Conor Maginn
13. Conor Laverty
14. Jerome Johnston
15. Donal O'Hare

I'd imagine though that the team that starts will be similar to the team that started against Tyrone in Newry. One thing is that there is a strong enough bench if called for.

 

In the wake of last Saturday nights match there has been a lot of criticism on here as per usual.

When driving home all of us in the car were of the opinion that there was actually nobody in a Down shirt that played poorly.

James was right in saying that the scoreboard was not a fair reflection of the performance. At the end of the day if Tyrone had'nt have got thier (non) penalty and Carr had put ours away, the deficit would have only been two. All ifs and buts of course however things don't seem just so gloomy for a run in the qualifiers.

When we look at how the Down defence performed there were some positives. Sean Cavanagh was well marshalled whilst thier entire (higly rated) full forward line was substituted only scoring once from play. Sure, McKenna came on and looked like an All-star but the game was over at this point. The difference for for me was that Tyrone were just more clinical and McGinley had a big input for them as he actually was'nt marked by anybody for long periods as Down deployed the sweeper and left him free.

With the break now the lads can go back to thier clubs. Those who have just returned from long term injuries in recent months ie: Gordan, Garvey, Ambrose, Rooney, O'Hagan & co can get more games with the possibility of James adding one or two other faces. In the qualifiers most teams simply will not want to draw Down, so hopefully this team can gather some momentum and go on a run.

One other thing, Conor Laverty!
Love him or loathe him this man is an exceptional footballer. His best position is right up in the full forward line. Anytime he is played here he is devastating both for club and county. Most of the games I have seen him play for Down have been where he is roving around midfield but as we seen against Monaghan in 2012 and in the 2nd half in Omagh in the first half last Saturday he must play up top with his young clubmate. This could be key to Downs gameplan for the rest of the summer. Also on the point of players and positions, Big Dan is our best midfielder plain and simple, for a man that has barely kicked a ball for two years he caught more clean catches on Saturday night than we did all through the league campaign. McArdle is a fine full back and would'nt be under pressure on the edge of the square if our strongest midfield is fit and winning posession around the middle.